Method and machine for surfacing track ties



March 21, 1961 R. E. PAULSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACING TRACK TIES5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 INVENTOR.

J W M March 21, 1961 R. E. PAULSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACINGTRACK TIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 INVENTOR.

BY (f METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACING TRACK TIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledFeb. 26, 1957 INVENTOR.

March 21, 1961 R. E. PAULSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACING TRACK TIES5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 INVENTOR.

March 21, 1961 PAULSQN 2,975,725

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACING TRACK TIES i Filed Feb. 26, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 5 77. eZi INI ENTOR. l3 /76 BY I I78 fi r duces the manacter. p 7

.Another object of the invention is to provide a track United States.Patent METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SURFACING TRACK TIES My invention relatesto a method and machine for surfacing track ties, and more particularly,to'a method and machine fol-shifting and surfacing, or bringing up tograde, track ties after the track rails have been jacked to a new grade.

After. a new track grade has been established and the track rails havebeen freed as necessary from the ties and have been jacked to thedesired grade, it has been conventional practice to lift the track ties,from their former positions, up against the bottom or underside of thetrack rails and then push new ballast underneath the individual ties byhand or with a mechanical tamper.

Contrary to this conventional practice, it is a principal object of myinvention to provide a track tie surfacing -method and machineywhereintamping requirements'are practically eliminated, or are atlea'stsubstantially reduced, and wherein new ballast in most cases is notrequired. I a y A further object of my invention is'to provide a tracktie surfacing machine and method which materiallyrepower required-to doa jobf this chartie surfacing'machine that will also remove a .track tielaterally of the track. ti

Still another objecti of the invention is to provide a 1 track tiesurfacing machine that will shift track ties longitudinally of thetrack, that will straighten skewed ties, andthat will r'aketh'e ballastat the center of the track where this is needed t'oinsure thataitie doesnot bear on the ballast atthe'center' of the track. I l f ,Yet azfurtherobject of the'invention is to provide animproved' track rail clampingdevice for track tie'surfacing machines or the like. i 2 1 y E Still afurther objecti'of the invention, is to provide an improved tiejgripperfor track tie surfacingmachines or the like. i

. 2,975,725" Patented Mar. 21, 1961 Figures 4 and 5' are fragmental endelevational views illustrating the operation of the rail clamping deviceem-' ployed in the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmental end elevational view similar to Figures 4 and 5illustrating a device for and the manner" of moving a track tielaterally of the track in accordance with the principles of myinvention;

Figure 6a is a plan view of the spud shown in Figure 6;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the tie gripper platformand supporting members forming a part of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one pair of tie grippersemployed in the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view along line 9-9 of Figure3;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the rake member forminga part of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figures 11 and 12 are diagrammatic sectional views illustrating a typeof hydraulic fluid flow control valve that may be employed in themachine shown in Figure 1;: and

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic plan view of the member on which the rakedevice is mounted, part of same being; broken away.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Reference numeral 10 of Figures 1, 2, and 3generally indicates one embodiment of a machine arranged in accordancewith the principles of my invention, which in:- cludes a wheeled frameor truck 12, a pair of tie grippers 14, apair of rail clamping devices16, and a rake device 18 (see Figures 2 and 3). Generally speaking, themachine 10 is employed, after rails 22 have been raised to a new grade,to lift ties 20 upwardly against the undersideof track rails 22 andshift them longitudinally of the track.

rails to the positions indicated at the left of Figure 1.

fixed are rotatably secured to beams 26 'by an appropriate Yet anotherobject of 'the invention is to provide a track tiesurfacing machinewhich is economical of manufacture, convenient in'use, and readilyadapted to afwide variety of track tie surfacing operations.

. Otherobjects, uses, and advantages willrbe obvious or becomeapparentfromja consideration of the following 7 detailedjdescription' and theaccompanying drawings. I

I "ln'the drawings:

' Figure l is a side elevational view of one embodiment of theinvention, parts being shown in section, illustrating how track ties arehandled in} accordance with the prin-, 'ciples of my invention; T

' Figure 1ais a diagrammatidviewillustratinga hydraulic system that maybe employed for operating the various rams forminga part ofthe'machineshowninFigure 1; =71. Figure 2 is an end elevational ,viewiofthe machine 9 shown in "Figure 1, takenwfrom theiright handfside ofFigure 1, withparts brokenaway for clarity of illus-' trationy. V t

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine :shown 1, with parts broken awayfor clarity of illustration;

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The truck or wheeled frame 12 generally comprises apair of longitudinally extending channels 26 (see Figure 3) secured attheir ends to transverse channels 28 as by welding or in any othersuitable manner. Wheel axles 30 to which flanged wheels 32 are keyed orotherwise journalling structure 34. The wheeled frame or truck 12carries a power unit 36, such as a gasoline motor, two tanks 38 forhydraulic fluid} pumps 40 on either side of the frame or truck 12 anddriven by the motor 36 through belts or chains 42, and two valve banks44 to which appropriate piping (not shown) extends from the pumps 40.Appropriate piping (not shown) also extends from the two valve banks/l4to, the, hydraulic rams about to be described. 1 L

THE TIE GRIPPERS each sid'eofthe frame or trucki 12 a paiirof V spacedlongitudinally extending beams are secured in pl ace, as by welding themto suitable uprights 52am are in turn welded to cross beams 28. Atransversely extending beam 54 is secured to the ends of beams'50 v ateach end of the truck or frame by upright angle irons 55. Bracingchannels 57 (see Figure secured to the ends of beams 50. V A tie grippersupporting structure such as that shown 6) may also be Figure 7 ismountedbetween thespa ce d beamssd'on each-side of the vehicle andoutboard ,of said rails, The

tie gripper supporting structure comprises alframewoilc or platformi60composed in the illustratedembodiment of spaced channels 62 securedtogether belowlby plates 64 and 66 and above by angle bars 68 and 70.These elements may be secured together in any suitable manner,

as by welding. Each framework or platform 60 includes a ram supportplate 72 that is welded between the channels 62, a pair of opposedupright angle bars 74 that are fixed to adjacent channels 62 and fixedlycarry abutment forming rods 75, and a brace channel member 76 securedbetween the angle bar 68, channels 62, and the tops of bars 74, in anysuitable manner, as by welding.

Each framework or platform 60 slidably carries a supplemental frameworkor platform 80 (see Figure 7), which includes a plate 82 that ispositioned below channel members 62, a pair of upright angle bars 84that are secured to plate 82 and extend upwardly between members 62,abutment forming rods 35 carried by bars 84, a pair of triangular braceplates 36, braced by inclined plate 87, that are secured between theplate 82 and the respective angle bars 84, and a pair of angle bars 88that are secured on either side of and between angle bars 84 and braceplates '56. The angle bars 88 are positioned above channel members 62.Thus, the supplemental framework or platform 81) is slidably mounted onthe framework or platform 60 and plate 32 and angle members 38 serve asguiding and positioning elements for properly locating the supplementalplatform or framework 80 with respect to the platform or framework 60.

The frameworks or platforms 6%} and 80 each carry a tie engaging memberof the types shown in Figure 8, the member 99 being carried by theplatform 66 and the member 92 being carried by the platform 80. Themembers 90 and 92 in the illustrated embodiment each comprise a lengthof track rail that is shaved as at 94 to provide a tapering tie engagingend. The tie engaging ends of the members 90 and 92 are formed withprojections 96 in any suitable manner, as by applying bead Welding inspaced apart relation.

The member 96 at its upper end includes a pair of plates 16%) secured toeach side of the rail head 102 thereof and diverging outwardly from thehead. This is done by welding the ends of the plates 10%) to the web 194of the i member 99 (see Figure 3). Plates 106 and 107 are secured to thetop and bottom edges of the plates 160 to provide a sort of housing forplates 108 Welded to the rail head portion 162 of the member 92. As theends of the plates 163 that are spaced from the member 92 are weldedtogether, they converge in a direction away from the head 102 of themember 92 and thus are complementary to and fit inside the enclosureformed by the plates 1&6, 107, and 106. The bases 139 of the members 99and 92 are received between the abutment forming rods and flanges of therespective upright angle bars 74 and S4 to mount them on their movableplatforms (see Figure 3).

As shown in Figure l, ahydraulic ram 116 is interposed between the plate72 forming a part of framework or platform 69 and the plate 107 that issecured to the tie engaging member 90. I 7

As best shown in Figure 2, the members 62 are received between truck orframe members oneach side of the vehicle. The ends of plates 64 and 66and angle bars 68 and extend over the respective beams 50 whereby theframes 60 are supported by the members 50.

The platforms 60 also include an abutment plate 112 to which one end ofa hydraulic ram 114is secured (see.

Figure l). The other end of hydraulic ram 114 is secured to a plate 116that is fixed to the ends of the beamsSO at one end of the vehicle. Attheother end of the vehicle a hydraulic ram 118 is fixed in any suitablemanner to and between a plate 120 (see Figure l) fixed .to the frameworkor platform 80 (between plates 86) and plate ventinnal design. Y I

4 THE RAIL CLAMPING DEVICES The rail clamping devices 16 are best shownin Figures 3 and 4 through 6. One of these devices is secured to eachend of the frame or truck 12 and since they are identical, only one willbe described.

The rail clamp device 16 shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6 is the one at theright hand side of Figures 1 and 3. The devices 16 each comprise a pairof pendently mounted rail engaging gripping jaw forming bars or membersand 131 actuated by a hydraulic ram 132 carried by beam 54. The members130 and 131 are positioned on either side of a track rail 22 and member130 includes a toe or projection 130a. The member 131 is receivedbetween a pair of angle members 134 that are welded or otherwise fixedon angle member 133 that is fixed to the end beam 54. Angle members 135fixed to the respective members 134 form outer guiding abutments for themember 131. The gripper member 130 is suspended in a trolley likestructure 136 that in the illustrated embodiment comprises spacedvertical plates 138 secured together as by welding them to upper andlower spacing plates 140 on one side of the structure 136 and a pair ofspaced bars 144 on the other side of the device. Studs or bolts 145project outwardly of the outer plate 133 a short distance for a purposehereinafter made clear. The beam 54 is received between the plates 140and the inner pair of plates 138 while the member 130 is receivedbetween the bars 144. A pair of stops 147 are fixed to member 139 oneither side thereof and are proportioned to extend over the adjacentplates 138.

A cam member 146 is secured to one of the angle members 134 and extendslaterally across the member 130, on which is mounted a cam roller 150that rests on the cam surface 152 of the member'146 when stops 147 areraised above structure 136. The structure 136 carries a cam plate whichis form'ed'with ac'am surface 162 on which tests a cam roller 164carried by the member 131. The piston rod 165 of ram 132 is secured tothe structure 136 in any suitable manner, such as the diagrammaticallyillustrated connection'163. For purposes of illustration, the. ram 132is shown secured to angle bracket 167,,reinforced by the plate 169,carried by beam 54.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, as ram 132 is operated to push structure136 to the left, members 130 and 131 drop to the level of the track rail22; member 130 is then pushed toward member 131 until the track rail isclamped by these members. When the piston rod 165 is retracted, themember 130 is separated from member 131, and both members then moveupwardly to the positions of Fig ure 4. Toe or projection 130a of member130 opposes vertical forces-tending to draw the track rail from thedevice 16;

THE RAKE DEVICE The rake device 18v is mounted adjacent the center 0fthe truck or frame 12, and consequently, adjacent the center of thetrack bed. It includes a rake member of the type diagrammaticallyillustrated in Figure 10 which is moved vertically by an appropriatehydraulic ram 172 mounted on a beam 174 that is carried by the platforms60. ,As shown in Figures 2- and 13, the respective ends of beam 174 aresecured to the inner channelmembers 62, of frameworks or platforms 60 bya bolt 176 passing through elongated slots'178 formed in the respective,ends ofbeam 174. Of course, an appropriate 'nut'179 is secured to theend of bolt 176. Angle members181 fixed to beam 174 guide the verticalmovement of rake member 170.

i The beam 174'ismoved longitudinally of the track when platforms 60'are moved and'slots 178 are provided to permit independent movement ofthe platforms 60 as hereinafter described.

leaves the other end of 'thishy'draulic cylinder through throughthern.As a practical mattenthe actual hydraulic .circuiting T HYDRAULIC SYSTEMFOR IR'AMs The rams 110, 114, 118, 132, and 172 are preferably ofthe.double acting type and are incorporated in a hydraulic circuit such as,or similar to, that diagrammatically illustrated in Figure. 1a (in whichthe actual ram cylinders are not shown in interests of simplicity). Asshown in Figure la, the valve banks 44 are arranged adjacent each other.Each valve bank in the illustrated embodiment is made up of five fluidflow control valves that may beof the type diagrammatically illustratedin Figures 11 and l2,-one valve being provided for each cylinder. Aconduit 194 extends between a tank 38 and a 7 pump 40 for-each valvebank, and a hydraulic; conduit 196 extends between the pump 40 and amanifold distributing device 198 of any appropriate construction whichfeeds hydraulic fluid to the individual valves- 200 of the respectivevalve banks. Hydraulic fluid passes from the individual valves 200 toappropriate fluid flow collecting devices 202 from which the'hydraulicfluid passes through appropriate respective conduits 204 to returnconduits 206 and thence to the respective tanks 38.. Each valve bankcontrols a ram 110, 114, 118, and 132, and one of the banks controls ram172. The extra valve 200 controls a propelling mechanism laterdescribed.

, The valve 200 diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 (forillustrative purposes only) includes an appropriately formed plunger 210which is moved back and forth inside the valve body by a handle 212;(see Figure 1) through any appropriate linkagemechanism (not shown).Conduits 214 and 216 extend to each end of'the ram cylinder which iscontrolled by'the illustrated valve 200 while the conduits.218.and 220are connected to'the diagrammatically illustrated'distributing andcbI-lectingdevices 198and 202. When the plunger element 2l 0tis in theposition" of Figure 11, hydraulic fluid under "7 pressure entersthevalvetl from conduit 218 and passes into the conduit 214 that leadsto one end of thehydtaulic cylinderi controlled by 'the valve, whilehydraulic fluid conduit 216; thence through the v'alve200 andintolconduit 220. When the plunger element 210 is positioned as shown inFigure 12, the hydraulic flow from the valve is reversed. In theillustrated system, the pumps '40 will be of the type that includebypassor pressure release mechanisms that are broughtinto play oninte'rmediatepositions of valves 209, when there is no fluid flow employed may be ofany*conventional type that insures that" the individual ra'mscanbeindependently actuated an'd thatthey are all double acting, The,actualhydraulic fluid conduits and fiowcontrol valves employed may beflof? any. conventional type and may be arranged as desired about theframe or' truck 12. An appropriate'platlform,

' remove the tie.

for the apparatus operator may be provided as 211229 in' Figurel a r Asdiagrammatically"illustrated inQFigure 3 'ahydraulic motor 230 of anyappropriate design, and comprising the aforementioned propellingmechanism, may secured -to the frame. 12' many appropriate mannertodrive a wh'eel axle 3tlithrouglrjchain2 32 that engages appropriatesprockets. This Jmechanism 230. may Lirielude an appropriate form ofclutch for disconnecting sarr'ie for towing-the vehicle to the-siteof'the work. The hydraulic motor 230 :may be driven b'y one of thepumps, dtl throhgh the extr'avalve 200. or =byjanother pump that isdriven or actuated by the motor "36 through an appropriate controlvalve-I VTRA SFERI e vehicle l2 may carrychalk line indicator 244 ,(see

Figure 2) to help in'transferring t'he'proper grade to the traclgrailsand track-itie'spf In the illustrated embodiment,

indicator 244,'which cooperates with chalk'line -240, is

I 118 are then actuated to release the tie and 'then rams.

METHOD OF SHIFTING TIES" The tie shifting operation in accordance withmy invention is carried out as follows. After the desiredtrack grade hasbeen determined and a chalk line 240 (see Figure 2) erected, the trackspikes 241 at the rail joints are removed and the rails are jacked tothe proper elevation at thefsame time raising or partially raising theunspiked ties. -Most of the ties will then hang from the rails,depending from the spikes, the latterbeing at least partially withdrawnfrom the ties in most instances. The three right hand ties of Figure 1show several possible by the machine beingcompletely removed.

After the track rails are jacked to the proper elevation, the truck orframe 12 is moved over the first tie to be moved. As the first tie to bemoved is shifted laterally of the track, since, in accordance with myinvention, it

portable spud 250 of any desired shape is applied between one of thestuds 145 of, movablestructure 136 and the tie. By drawing the pistonrod 165 of the ram 1327to the right of. Figure 6, the tieto/be removedmay be forced laterally of the track. Of course, severalsuccessiveoperations of the ram 132 are required to completely Some ofthe ballast may be removed from around the end of the tie to expediteremoval, if necessary. f 3 p The truck or frame 12 is then moved to theposition wherein tie grippers 14 are approximately positioned over, thenext. tie, which is the first tie to actually be shifted, andthe Valvesfor' controlling rams 132 are actuated to app-lyrail clamping devices 16to the rails} The tie'engaging 'members and 92 are separatedbymanipulating the appropriate valvesZtlO to actuate cylinders 118*on bothsides of the machineand'then the valves foractuating: rams "114 aremanipulated tofvertically align ,tie'

engaging members ,90 and 92 with the tie that is to be shifted. vThereupon, the tie engaging members are lowered into the ballast aboutthe tie to be shifted by actuating-the rams 110." 'After rams 118 havebeen actuated 'to forceirnembers 92 against the tie to clampthetie innewseatby actuating ramsgll t to'force same against the ballast to aposition intermediate the two pockets, the ballast that isdisplaced bythis action falling into the pocket that wasforrned by, removing thefirst tie. Rams areactuated to raise the members 90 and 92. The tiegrippers, 90 and 2 are then shifted to the next tie that is to beshifted and the cycle is repeated, theclamping'devices 16 beingrele'asedto' permit movement of the vehicle 12 3s required by. theprogress of the tie shifting operation, and thenreapplied tothe rails.

(atjthe left hand side of thelfigure). Tie plates 304 remain [in theirnormal positionsland are not affected by thetie shifting operation. Asthernachine passes away from the tiesfthat have been shifted, railspikes 241 7 that have been removed at the joints and elsewhere asnecessary are reapplied to the ties in any convenient manner and theother spikes are retightened. Of course, under the track conditionsdescribed, the vehicle moves to the right of Figure 1 during the tieshifting procedure.

It may be mentioned that forcing the individual ties against the ballastin shifting them effectively packs the ballast underneath them, whichsubstantially eliminates the need for tamping, or at the very leastreduces its need to a bare minimum.

In instances where the ballast between ties, before they are shifted, isdeep enough adjacent the center of the track so that the tie after it isshifted would rest on ballast at the center of the track, the rakedevice 18 is employed to scratch a shallow trench adjacent the center ofthe track before the tie is shifted. This precludes the possibility of atie resting on the ballast at the center of the track when it isshifted, which would result in a tie fracture at its center when a loadis applied to the track. The rake 170 is raised and lowered by actuatingram 172 by manipulation of its valve 200, and the rake is moved back andforth by actuating rams 114. Ordinarily the beam 174 extends crosswiseof the track, rather than in the inclined position of Figure 3.

If the raise in grade is such that new ballast is required, it may bedumped in place before the ties are shifted.

When all the ties that are to be shifted have been moved, the tie thatwas first removed (or a new tie) may be placed in the ballast betweenthe last tie shifted and the tie next to it. This may be done in anyconventional manner.

Skewed ties are easily shifted to correct alignment with the track,either during atie shifting operation, or independently of a tieshifting operation; This is done by first gripping the skewed tie withthe tie grippers 14 and drawing the tie up tight against the rails,afterwhich which the rams 114 on each side of the machine can beindependently operated to shift the ends of the skewed tie as necessaryto straighten it out. Of course, the skewed tie if located at a railjoint is unspiked before being straightened.

It may be added that the tapered tie engaging ends of tie grippingmembers 90 and 92 facilitate thepenetration of the ballast that isrequired for them to adequately grip the ties. Projections 96 of themembers 90 and 92 merely implement the gripping action applied to theties, and do not interfere with raising of the grippers after the tiehas been released.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a method and machine forshifting track ties which substantially elimihates the need for tamping.My method and machine also reduce new ballast requirements to a'minimum.I have found that in using my method and machine a tie shiftingoperation can be accomplished with six men rather than the relativelylarge number of men that has been required heretofore. In an embodimentof the invention that has proved highly successful, a hydraulic two-waydouble acting valve made by Blackhawk Manufacturing Company ofMilwaukee, Wisconsin, was employed to perform the functions of theindividual valves 200. Pumps 40 took the form ofsix cylinder wobblepumps made by the same company. A24 horsepower gasoline engine wasemployed to operate the pumps.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate my invention and the manner in which it may be performed,and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except in so far 'as the'appended claims are so limited since those skilled in the art who havemy disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without depart= rails of said track, one of said barsbeing mounted in a frame fixed to said wheeled frame and the other ofsaid bars being mounted in a frame movable longitudinally along saidsupport member, cam follower means carried by each of said bars, cammeans carried by each of said bar frames for engagement with the camfollower means of the other bar respectively, said cam means eachincluding cam surfaces shaped to raise and lower the respective barsbetween positions in horizontal alignment with the track rail andpositions above the track rail as said movable frame is moved away andtoward, respectively, said fixed frame, and ram means for moving saidmovable frame longitudinally of said support member and transversely ofthe track, whereby said clamp bars are simultaneouslylowered and broughtinto engagement with the track rail to clamp said wheeled frame to thetrack when said movable frame is moved toward said fixed frame, and saidclamp bars are simultaneously separated and raised to release thewheeled frame from the track when said movable frame is moved away fromsaid fixed frame.

2. The method of shifting track ties in a length of track that is to beraised from an old to a new grade which includes the steps of: jackingthe track rails along said length of track to the new grade, removing atrack tie adjacent one end of said length of track to form a pocket inthe track ballast, lifting the next tie of said length of track adjacentthe pocket into contact with the underside of the track rails and thenforcing the tie against the ballast between it and. the pocket to aposition intermediate the pocket and'the second mentioned ties priorlocation, thereby displacing the ballast toward and into the pocket,lifting the next succeeding tie of said length of track into contactwith the underside of the track rails, forcing said next succeeding tieagainst the ballast between it and the second mentioned tie to aposition intermediate the pocket formed by shifting the second mentionedtie and the prior locationof the said next succeeding tie, therebydisplacing the ballast toward and into the second mentioned pocket, andshifting subsequent ties across said length of track in like manner.

3. A railroad car adapted to move and manipulate ties of a railroadtrack comprising in combination a rigid frame, wheeled axles supportingthe frame and adapted to ride on opposed rails of said track,tie-gripping members mounted on opposite sides of said frameintermediate said wheeled axles and outboard of said rails, means forindependently moving the tie-gripping members on each side of the frameboth vertically and longitudinally of the frame to perform tie-grippingfunctions, and rail-gripping means mounted on the frame at diametricallyopposed corners thereof for clamping the frame to both rails of saidtrack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHERREFERENCES Goeb: German application R 15736, printed Aug. 9, 1956(Kl.l9a 28.06).

